STUC on ‘Christmas on the Dole in Scotland’

December 20th 2011

Commenting on the TUC's research which confirms that long term unemployment (JSA over 12 months) is rising faster in Scotland than any other nation/region of the UK and that Scotland also has 8 of the 10 local authority areas showing the largest percentage increases in long-term unemployment over the past year, Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary said:

"These figures help demonstrate the extent of the crisis in the Scottish labour market. Following last week's ONS release which confirmed that the Scottish unemployment rate is now higher than the rest of the UK, we now learn that long-term unemployment is rising faster in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK. It is totally unacceptable that over 26,000 Scots are facing at least their second Christmas on the dole.

"The STUC will next week publish figures to suggest that even these shocking statistics underplay the extent of the crisis. It is absolutely essential that Government at all levels redoubles its efforts to boost jobs and growth in the New Year. Another 12 months of complacency will leave Scotland with a legacy of persistent, structural unemployment with all its associated human, social and financial costs'